This invention is concerned generally with emptying liquid from a container.
A typical form of container for the storage and transport of liquid is one in which there is a pallet type base on which there is mounted four interlocked sides. The sides can be demountable from the base or can be hinged thereto so that the sides can fold down over the base. The base and the sides when erected on the base provide an open topped enclosure for a plastic film liner bag. A lid is provided for the open top of the container. Discharge is usually by gravity through a nozzle of the liner bag which projects through an opening in one side of the container adjacent the base of the container. The nozzle is adapted for the connection of a valve and the PC a discharge pipe.
The problem with such containers is that the construction of the container sides places the nozzle above the floor of the container and some liquid remains in the container after gravity discharge through the nozzle ceases. This can be overcome to some extent by tilting the container towards the container side having the nozzle opening. This involves equipment capable of tilting the container and means to lift the container onto and off the tilter. The cost of a tilting device and the container handling means makes this solution to the problem unattractive. Even with a tilting device there is usually a small amount of liquid, which in the case of valuable liquids can represent an unacceptable economic loss, which remains to be recovered. in order to recover the maximum amount of liquid the liner bag is often manhandled when nearly empty so as to direct substantially all of the liquid in the bag towards the bag nozzle. This approach is commercially unacceptable because of the cost of the labor involved and because it is not a satisfactory long term solution to the problem.
The present invention has as its object the provision of container base which will by a combination of features simply and effectively achieve substantially complete gravity discharge of liquid from containers of the above known type referred to above.
Broadly stated, the present invention provides a container base including tilting means for a base covering panel.
More specifically, the present invention provides a container base including tilting means for a base covering panel wherein the tilting means is resiliently biassed away from an inoperative position towards an operative position in which it will tilt a base covering panel.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.